Kids in trouble put father in the middle, friends say

11:30 PM,
Jul. 7, 2012

Northwest Rankin head football coach David Coates watches his team play during the Pearl game in 2009.

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Veteran Rankin County football coach David Coates drove all the way from Brandon to Ole Miss to deliver a small amount of marijuana to his son, transcripts of recorded telephone calls show.

His son Patrick, despite going through drug treatment, was still struggling with his addiction, Coates' friends say. And Coates, they said, thought he could control his son's habit by holding the marijuana.

In one conversation recorded by authorities, Patrick gave his father details on how to keep his pot from getting stale. ...